Sub Quest (1)

[Wait time expired, a new scenario note has been assigned.]

Take 1. Inn (Day/Inside). A peaceful atmosphere inside the inn, with no customers. Suddenly, the door swings open with a cheerful sound. Leonardo, looking confused. Citizen 1 asks for help. Leonardo, half-heartedly caught in the moment, steps outside.

Take 2. Sinistra Street (Day/Outside). A chaotic scene with a flock of chickens escaping, a broken cart wheel, and a bustling marketplace. Leonardo catches one of the chickens that managed to escape its pen. Several young men join in to help Citizen 1, but Leonardo's swift and nimble movements stand out.

Citizen 2: "Wow. This young man's got some real skills!"

Onlookers express their admiration. Leonardo looks a bit embarrassed.

Take 3. Inn (Night/Inside). The rumour spreads that Leonardo is a problem-solver. One by one, citizens come to him seeking help, offering rewards in exchange. Leonardo mingles with the people, gradually building a reputation in the city.

Main Character: Leonardo

Scenario Clear Condition/ [Leonardo's reputation increases within the scenario region. (Minimum required score: 1,000 points)

This seems odd.

Why is Leonardo suddenly taking on all these menial tasks in the town? Why is he catching chickens? Where's the gravity and solemnity befitting the protagonist of a fantasy royal story?

I glared at the floating words in the air while mumbling into my sandwich.

More than anything, the part about Leonardo's reputation increasing was what bothered me the most. Based on the dialogue in "Scenario #004," with Baron Roald, it was clear that there was some knowledge of Leonardo and the runaway second son of the Count. 

If Leonardo's reputation grows and eventually reaches the ears of the Baron, what happens then?

From the context, it seemed like the Baron was a vassal of the Count, and the report would certainly be passed along. I wouldn't be surprised if they sent someone to capture the runaway second son from the Count's household.

Then, as just the innkeeper, I'll end up stuck like a lingering spirit in the city of Sinistra, unable to move a muscle, losing my share of the scenario's focus, and turning to ash.

'It's a future where I die no matter what. Damn it.'

Life's hard. So damn hard. I chewed my food with a vengeance. The texture in my throat felt uncomfortably scratchy.

I carelessly shoved the scenario notes away from my face when I noticed Leonardo, with an oddly serious expression, awkwardly holding his sandwich between his hand and the side of his chest, as if deep in thought.

Curious, I asked.

"What's wrong?"

"…During the meal, your expression suddenly became serious, and you stared at me. Is it the cost of food that's worrying you? I know I'm still inexperienced, but I'll work harder as a waiter. Or maybe… I should cut down on what I eat…"

His expression was completely serious. As his dark blue hair hung over, casting a faint shadow, his troubled face became even more prominent.

He'd already eaten close to three servings of food by himself, so what was he even talking about? Was he serious? I mean, sure, it's early in the story, but how can a young man who's running around catching chickens in the neighbourhood for his employer's food cost possibly show any protagonist-like qualities?

He may sound serious, but the more I get to know him, the more of a goofball he seems. I was completely dumbfounded and quickly retorted to Leonardo.

"Are you trying to make me look like a petty employer who nags about food? Quit talking nonsense and eat up. The serious look on my face is just because I slept too well and my head's a bit foggy."

At that moment, Vittorio, who had been eating quietly, widened his eyes slightly and asked me.

"You're saying it's hard just from sleeping a long time? Isn't your body too weak?"

"Definitely."

Leonardo quickly agreed. I'd noticed it when he'd been fussing over my sleep issues last night, too—he seemed overly sensitive to health issues, probably because of his military background.

What do you guys know about nocturnal humans?

I was about to grumble in frustration but stopped myself. No matter what I said, it felt like both of them would argue back, so there was no point in trying. Just then, the inn's door suddenly burst open, and an old man with a wrinkled face stepped in, walking briskly and grabbing Leonardo by the chin.

[Viewing information]

Grade – Minor Character (Scenario weight: 0.05%)

Role – Citizen No. 1

Script – [Loads chicken coop onto a cart to transport it from the outskirts to the city.], [Asks Leonardo for help.]

Dialogue – "Hey, young man! I saw you yesterday. Your work with your hands was really impressive! So, I was wondering… could you help me out? I'll reward you handsomely!"

"Hey, young man! I saw you yesterday. Your work with your hands was really impressive! So, I was wondering… could you help me out? I'll reward you handsomely!"

"Excuse me?"

Leonardo responded in a bewildered tone, but the old man was quite insistent. After swallowing the last bite of his sandwich, he stood up quickly.

"Let's go. Kid, can you keep an eye on the inn? Stay put. Moving around too much might slow down your recovery."

"What are we going for?"

"Well… Sir, you recently bought chickens from a farm outside the city, right?"

I spoke to Citizen 1, acting as if I knew everything. The old man nodded.

Adopting the 'know-it-all expression' I had been using frequently since arriving in this bizarre theatrical world, I added:

"Today must be the day to move the chickens. Seeing you rush over here in such a hurry answers everything. Oh, what bad luck."

"Well, well. Looks like the innkeeper knows everything, huh? Quite amazing."

Well, I'm no Buddha, so how could I possibly know everything? It's all thanks to the omniscient, all-powerful Scenario Notes and my trusty , which has been a huge help to my survival. Whenever there's even the slightest chance to squeeze in, I need to add some flesh to this shady innkeeper character and boost my screen time. That's my only way to stay alive, so I had no choice but to play along.

I quickly patted Leonardo on the back and urged him forward.

"Come on, let's go. People in the city help each other out, right? If the old man loses his livelihood, my temporary customers will be left with empty pockets. That means, in the long run, the inn's income will drop, too. Oh no, my inn's going to fail! Come on, let's go."

We followed the old man toward the market. After only walking a short distance out of the inn and toward the main road, strange noises started to drift our way.

Cluck, cluck. Cack, cack! Coo-rrr!

The sounds slowly grew louder, and from around the corner of a brick wall, a small head peeked out. Leonardo and I locked eyes with a shiny, beetle-like chicken with clear, bright eyes.

A dream?

But then, the scene that unfolded after was even more ridiculous. The chickens, having taken over a market stall, were causing a ruckus, pecking at everything in sight. Meanwhile, people were rushing around trying to catch them, kicking up dust behind them. One chicken, looking particularly proud, had perched itself on top of a person's head and was crowing loudly.

Cock-a-doodle-doo!

[Quest Triggered: Encounter with Target]

Main Objective: Capture chickens that have escaped from the coop (0/30)

The level of rewards and Leonardo's fame increase will be determined based on quest completion.

High Achievement: Capture 25 chickens without injury (Fame +100)

Medium Achievement: Capture 20 chickens without injury (Fame +50)

Low Achievement: Capture 10 chickens without injury (Fame +10)

Quest Participants: Leonardo, Suspicious Innkeeper of Sinistra (Chicken capture count is combined)

Time Limit: 29 minutes 59 seconds

What is this?

I was so flustered that I couldn't hide my expression. Now that I think about it, the clear condition for this scenario note clearly required a unique reputation score. I expected there would be some differences from before, but I never imagined it would come out in the form of a mini-game like this.

What's even more troubling is that I'm also listed as a participant in this quest. Is this some kind of group project? And if I fail, will there be any consequences? For a moment, I let my guard down, distracted. That was a mistake. A shadow loomed over me. Startled, I looked up, only to see a creature with its wings spread wide, backlit by the blinding sunlight, flapping its wings loudly.

Cock-a-doodle-doo!

"Ugh."

I never thought I'd get stepped on by a bird in my life. This one's weight was pretty substantial. I staggered back a couple of steps, only for my foot to get caught on something. My body tilted backward, and I braced myself to fall flat on my butt, mentally cursing under my breath. But there was no sharp pain. Instead, I felt a dull friction and lukewarm heat.

[Scenario weight: 4.01%]

Did my percentage just increase by 0.01%?

A low, wheezing laugh echoed, and at that very moment, my body jolted. Suddenly, something swiped the chicken's wing away, and my vision cleared. Turns out, I had ended up lying on the ground, but it was Leonardo who had cushioned the fall. Thanks to him, I didn't get hurt. Leonardo, sitting with his upper body slightly propped up, was looking at me with a rare bright smile on his face. In one hand, he was firmly holding onto the chicken. Is this fun for you?

"You're so relaxed. Isn't this pretty humiliating?"

"…I can't believe this."

I frowned and rubbed my nose in embarrassment. It was my first time lying down after slamming my head into someone else's neck muscles. More than that, I was worried that this damn bird might have ruined the image I've been so carefully managing until now. Maybe there's a chicken footprint on my face or something.

Ugh. I lifted myself up and got off him.

As I rubbed my forehead, wondering if there were indeed chicken footprints left on my face, Leonardo was asking the old man where he should place the chicken he had caught. Thankfully, the chicken coop wasn't damaged like the cart had been. Looking around, I noticed some discarded fabric lying around, so I used it to cover the chicken coop. Only then did the frantic flapping sounds die down a bit.

"They seem to have gotten excited and panicked. If we put them somewhere dark, they should calm down a bit."

I turned around and saw the remaining 29 chickens still bustling around. The thought of catching all of them drained me of energy already.

But I had no choice. 

The scenario wanted this, after all. Damn it.